Art Pepper - An Afternoon In Norway: The Kongsberg Concert (2025)

A previously unissued 1980 set by the alto sax giant Art Pepper - limited edition 2CD deluxe gatefold digipak presentation. Includes an extensive booklet featuring reminiscences from the musician's wife Laurie Pepper and band mates Tony Dumas and Carl Burnett, notes by jazz authority Marc Myers, reflections from saxophonists John Horn and Rudresh Mahanthappa, and an on-site interview with Art Pepper. Co-produced by Zev Feldman and Elemental partner Jordi Soley, the hard-hitting 1980 quartet date features Pepper, then in the middle of a late-career renaissance, backed sympathetically by the brilliant Bulgarian pianist Milcho Leviev, bassist Tony Dumas, and drummer Carl Burnett. The hastily booked appearance came less than 24 hours after Pepper and his band concluded an engagement at Ronnie Scott's London club.

Elemental's typically expansive notes for this limited-edition 2CD set (also to be issued on 180-gram vinyl) includes recollections by the musician's wife Laurie Pepper, band members Tony Dumas and Carl Burnett, detailed notes by jazz writer Marc Myers, appreciations by saxophonists John Zorn and Rudresh Mahanthappa, and an interview conducted with Pepper at Kongsberg.

Feldman says, "These recordings come to us from the Kongsberg Jazz Festival archives, with whom Elemental has developed a friendship and is in the process of issuing several special concerts that were recorded at the festival over the past 60 years. One such recording is this release, Art Pepper in Norway – The Kongsberg Concert.We've once again teamed up with Laurie Pepper to present this release with the full support of the Art Pepper Estate."

Art Pepper - alto saxophone

Milcho Leviev - piano

Tony Dumas - bass

Carl Burnett - drums

Recorded live at the Kongsberg Jazz Festival, Kongsberg Kino, Kongsberg, Norway, June 29, 1980.

Tracklist
Disc: 1
1 Y.I. Blues [aka Untitled #34]
2 The Trip
3 Make A List, Make A Wish

Disc: 2
1 Patricia
2 Caravan
3 Blues For Blanche
4 Straight Life